How to Notarise a No Objection Certificate in Australia

To notarise a no objection certificate (NOC) in Australia, get the exact wording from the authority that asked for it. The person consenting then signs it before a notary with original photo identification. DFAT adds an apostille or authentication. For some countries, the consulate can attest an NOC from its own nationals instead.

Key takeaways

• There is no Australian NOC form. The requesting authority decides the wording, format and attestation.
• Each person consenting signs their own original, with their own identification.
• The notary witnesses the signature. The notary does not confirm the contents and never issues an NOC in their own name.
• An NOC about land or an inheritance can give up rights. Have a lawyer in that country read it first.
• Only DFAT issues apostilles in Australia. Check the destination on the HCCH status table on the day.
• Some consulates attest NOCs from their own citizens at the counter. Ask before booking a notary.

What is a no objection certificate?

An NOC is a signed statement that the person or organisation signing it does not object to something. That might be a passport being issued, a visa being granted, a property being sold or an employee travelling. The term is common in South Asia, the Middle East and parts of Africa and East Asia. Authorities there often ask family members living in Australia to supply one.

Australian law has no document called an NOC. It is whatever the requesting authority says it is. That single fact explains most of the problems people run into. An NOC drafted in Australia from a generic template is often the wrong shape for the office that will read it.

Which kinds of NOC are signed in Australia?

Four kinds come up most often. They differ in who signs and in how much care they need.

A personal NOC. A family member in Australia states that they do not object. A spouse may consent to a passport or visa. A sibling may confirm they do not object to a relative's application.

A parent's NOC for a child. A parent who cannot attend consents to a child's passport, travel or school enrolment. This overlaps closely with a travel consent. Our page on notarising a child travel consent covers it in detail.

A property NOC. A co-owner or co-heir states that they do not object to a sale, a transfer or a change in the land records. This is the one to be careful with, as explained below.

An employer's NOC. An Australian employer confirms it does not object to an employee travelling, studying or applying for a visa elsewhere. It often adds that the job remains open on return.

A notary cannot supply an NOC from a government body. If the authority wants an NOC from an Australian department, or from a foreign embassy, only that body can issue it.

Why should you start from the authority's template?

Most rejected NOCs were written from scratch. Before anyone signs, get these three things from the requesting authority:

• The template. Many authorities prescribe the wording. Some want an affidavit, sworn on oath, rather than a letter.
• The details it must contain. Usually full names as in the passports, passport numbers, the relationship, and the precise purpose. For property, that means the full address or land description.
• The form of attestation. A notary, the country's own consulate, or both, and whether an apostille is wanted.

Names cause the most trouble. If your passport spells your name differently from a family document, the receiving authority may treat you as two people. Use the passport spelling and ask the authority how to show the other version. Our page on name mismatches and apostilles explains the usual fixes.

Could the consulate attest it instead?

Often, yes. Several consulates in Australia attest NOCs and affidavits signed by their own citizens, at the counter. Where that route exists, it can replace both the notary and the DFAT step. The document is then attested by the country that will receive it.

Each consulate sets its own rules. Some want an appointment, some take documents only through an outsourced service, and some will not attest documents about property. Check the consulate's current instructions. Our page on consulates and legalisation in Australia explains how the counter route usually works.

How is an NOC notarised?

For a personal NOC, the process is short:

1. Bring the NOC unsigned, in the authority's final wording.
2. Bring original photo identification, ideally the passport whose number appears in the NOC.
3. The notary checks identity, and that you understand the document and are signing freely.
4. You sign in front of the notary, or swear or affirm it if it is an affidavit.
5. The notary attaches a notarial certificate, signed and sealed.

The notary witnesses your signature. The notary does not confirm that what the NOC says is true. A notary may decline if you cannot show you understand the document, or if someone appears to be pressuring you. Our legal declarations page covers the notary's role in witnessing consents.

How do employer NOCs differ?

An employer NOC is signed by someone authorised to speak for the business, on its letterhead. Many recipients accept that letter as it is, with no notary at all. Ask before paying for one.

Where a notarised version is wanted, the notary will usually ask for evidence that the signatory holds the position stated. Some recipients also want the notary to certify that position. For an Australian company, that is often checked against its ASIC record. See our page on notarising for a company for what the notary checks.

Why do property NOCs deserve extra care?

An NOC about property can mean more than it seems. Depending on the country and the wording, a statement that you do not object to a sale can be treated as giving up your interest. It can also be used later as evidence that you had one. Either may be exactly what you intend, or not.

Before signing an NOC about land, an inheritance or a family business, have it reviewed by a lawyer in the country where the property is. The notary witnesses your signature. That is not advice about what the document does. Our page on inheritance documents from overseas covers the wider paperwork.

How many originals should you sign?

Ask each authority whether it wants its own signed original. Usually it does. If a passport office and a land registry both need the same consent, sign two originals at one appointment. That is simpler than returning later.

Keep a copy of every NOC you sign. A notary can also certify a copy of a signed NOC after sighting the original. Whether a certified copy is acceptable is up to the receiving authority, so ask before relying on one.

Apostille or legalisation after the notary?

An NOC signed before an Australian notary is an Australian document going overseas. Only DFAT issues apostilles in Australia; a notary cannot. DFAT checks the notary's signature and seal against its records, not the contents of the NOC.

If the destination is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, DFAT issues an apostille. If it is not, DFAT issues an authentication certificate, and the NOC then goes to that country's embassy or consulate in Australia for legalisation. Check the HCCH status table on the day. DFAT currently takes documents by appointment at an Australian Passport Office or by registered post, as its legalisation page explains.

Our apostille and authentication page explains the DFAT step. Choosing the wrong certificate is a common and avoidable error; see the wrong certificate type.

Destination, as of our last check	Usual DFAT certificate	Check
India	Apostille	HCCH table on the day
Pakistan (in force 9 Mar 2023)	Apostille	HCCH table on the day
Bangladesh (in force 30 Mar 2025)	Apostille	HCCH table on the day
Nepal, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait	Authentication, then embassy	HCCH table and the embassy

What happens when it arrives?

Some destinations require the NOC to be registered, stamped or translated locally once it arrives. A land office may want its own stamp duty paid. A passport office may want the original attached to the application. Ask the recipient what happens on arrival, so the NOC is not wasted.

The recipient also decides whose translation it accepts. Some want the NOC in their own language from the start, signed in both languages. Others translate it locally. If you sign a version in a language you do not read, you need a translation first. Our translation with notary page explains how that fits.

Can a JP witness an NOC instead?

For use overseas, generally not. A Justice of the Peace is a volunteer witness for Australian purposes. A JP's signature is not recognised abroad, and DFAT cannot apostille a document a JP has witnessed. The exception is where the receiving authority says in writing that a JP will do. That is rare.

Here is an illustration, not a real case

A man in Adelaide and his sister in Kathmandu inherit their father's house in Nepal. The land office there wants an NOC from him before the title moves to her. A lawyer in Kathmandu drafts it and explains that it gives up his share. He signs it before a notary in Adelaide with his Nepali passport. At his last check Nepal was not a Hague party, so DFAT authenticates the notary's signature. The Nepali embassy then legalises it, and he posts the original to his sister.

In short

An NOC is whatever the requesting authority says it is. Get its wording, sign it in front of a notary with the passport it quotes, and send it to DFAT for the right certificate. Ask whether the consulate can attest it instead. For anything about land or an inheritance, have a local lawyer read it before you sign.

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Been asked for an NOC? Send us the wording the authority gave you, and we will explain each step before you book.